Life-preserver bumper-emergency-brake police auxiliary device



Jan. 6, 1931. M. COPPOLA 1,788,276

LIFE PRESERVER-BUMPEREMERGENCY BRAKE-POLICE AUXILIARY DEVICE Filed July 50, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ways.-

Jan. 6, 1931. M. COPPOLA 1,738,275

LIFE PRESERVERBUMPER-EMERGENCY BRAKE-POLICE AUXILIAI"! DEVICE Filed July 50. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 6, 1 931 IGUE concern, or monrrnvrnno, URUGUAY m ms vmsemmgmmmmm aaznrum; AUxILIAnYp vIcE a p'n atio ma July so,

--This invention relates toan auxiliary device for' automobiles and similar vehicles, andis particularly adapted to the preservation 1ife, fo'r service as abumper, and for 5 action as an emergency brake. The device is preferablyplaced on the-front part of the vehicles, and as stated before'is particularly" adapted for motor driven vehicles, inasmuch as the latter are involved in vehicular accidents. Prior to the conception of my invention,

considerableattention had been directed to' the various'circumstances present both before. and after, accidents. such observations it has been decidcdthat the object of this invention is the'provision of a vehiclewith a powerful automatic brake l which latter, together with the usual brakes of the vehicle, willcause the almost instanta' 2U neous stopping of the latter, either to avoid running overthe victim after he is knocked down, or'to stop the vehicle once the accidenthas occurred. By this latter function the in.-

r vention prevents the occurrencev of further damage which frequently re'sultsfrom the sharp and violent turns of the vehicle caused by the incompetence of the driver orh is loss of control of the vehicle. The said function further aids the authorities by preventing the escape of the driver with the'vehicle.

. Particular attention has been. directed to the provision of a device which will not, de-

' form the lines of the vehicle, and. to that end, thedevice has been: given the shape of the ordinary'bumper.

By way of illustration, one

of my device is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein: h V r f Fig. I is a front view-ofan automobile with the device inits normal position;

Fig. II is a fragmentary front view showing the device in its lowered position and adaptedfor use asa life preserver andbrake';

Fig. III is a side view of the protection device in its normal position, similar to Fig. I;

Fig. IV corresponds to'Fig. III, but represents the protection devioe in its'lowered or operative position; a

Fig-V isa fragmentary detail on an enthe majority of I rangement by which thedeviceis 'causedto As a result of exempliiication 1925. Serial No'. seams. g V S a i largedscale of a part of the device shown in Fig. IV, and is in .plan'elevationy" *FigrVI is a side elevation of the-device of -Fig.,V; H Y

' -Fig VII is a' schematic representation of thearrangement whereby the device is placed in its operable-position for actionas .a life preserver and brake; g

jFig. VIII illustrates schematically the aract only as a bumper;

. Fig. IX' is'another detail of the arrangement of Fig. VIIywhile Fig. X is still another detail of the device of Fig. VII, and is shown in 90 relation with Fig. IX.

.It is to be understood that in the following explanation only m e f each of these eral parts of the device. is illustrated.- The bars, squares, or plates (hereinaftercalled plates.) of the several figure-s are illustrated at 1,. 2, 3, and 4 and are arranged to have the i formof the ordinary bumper. Plates 1 and 2may be on the same plane, with plate 3" arranged on a differentv and lower plane, While plate 4 may be on a still lower plane. The plates 1 and 2 are preferably secured rigidly to: brackets 5, While plates 3 and4 may be connected to shoe pieces 6; the plates 14,' brackets 5, and shoe pieces 6 forming a rigid so body. 'Thebody thus formed has two projecting arms 8 securely fastened toits rear surface having substantially the shape of a halfconetandare'adapted to engage correspond inghalf-cone shaped notches in the free'ends 8b of supports 7 mounted on the chassis of the vehicle. The engagement between the cooperating elements 7 and 8 is preferably such asto permit a certain freedom of movement to absorb the shocks which the vehicle may re- 9o ceive while running. Springs 9 are provided for retaining the device in its raised'position. When a person is struck by a vehicle pro vided with my device, pressure is thereby exertedagainst plates 1 and 2. The pressure so produced forces the device rearwardly' against the resistance of the springs 9 which will hold the device in its raised position, thereby causing the arms 8 to disengage the supports 7, whereby the device is lowered 10c forwardly of the front wheels in the manner prevent the wheels from running over the device when in the position shown in Fig; IV.

Experience has shown that when the device falls to the positionof IV, the wheels of the vehicle tend torun-over thedev'ic'e,

whereby, since such tendency is resisted by thecables 10, the shoes 6 are pressed"sofor'cefully against the pavement-that the. vehicle will be brought to an almost instantaneous stop; Because of the arrangement shown the tiresare not, subjected to violent wear because the contactis' borne by the shoes 6 alone, the j wheels being mounted on the shoes, as has beenpointedout before;-

- r 1 A seteofi guides 12 are provided having their ends'freely mounted',- respectively, on

the device adjacent the shoes :6 and on racks 13 which; ,i-n-iturn-are' preferablyisecurely mountedson the chassis shown-in Fig. IV. The upper ends of the guides 12 carry a spring biased ratchet engaging rack 13 (Figs.

V and VI), for cooperation with the cables 19 130 prevent the-wheels running over the device;v The desired result obtained since i both cables and the racks and ratchets limit the distance through which the devicema b wunglcarward; a r p p Combined with the iides 12 :there 1 3.

switch ofany convenient design for'cutting, offthe. electric current to. the vehicle motor," so that the latter will-stop immediately when; the; device has fallen, The switch and its.

connection are not shown in the drawings.

Y rangement; whereby the devicewill. act as a device is; ina position to functionas life. preserve'r, slnce by such involuntary 36.11011" bumper when themotor is connected .to the transmission. In the said view, a linkis tio'n'of thelink- 15 when the clutch is released,

When. the motor. is connected to the trans{ mission the link 15 is ina substantially horizontal position and its free end is positioned in the rear of the cone-shaped arm 8, thereby preventing backward movement of the de vice and thus disengaging thesupport 7 re;-

g'ardless ofthe pressure exerted thereon.

'It is a well known fact that almost in: variably-Lil e first act of a driver confused by possible dangeris to release the clutch, and it is from that moment onwards thatthe the link-15 becomes disengaged from the arm 8: It isin order that the device may .normally serve the function of the ordinary i'g. VIIschematicallyillustratesthe, are.

bumper and at the same time-be capable of being capable rapidly brought into position as a life preserver and brake, that I have combinedthe link 15 with the clutch. It is obvious however, that it is readily feasibly that the link: may be connected with ahand brake of the vehicle, especially in those vehicles whichv do not have a lever actuated gear shift. The arrangement illustrated in Fig. VIII is provided so that thedevice may be employedon'ly' as abumper, and is especially valuable'when touring outside the city limits, andwhere the use" of the" device' as alife preserverl is not essential. This arrangement comprises a shaft I9',="the ends of which are mounted on. the longitudinal beams of the chassis. Al -suitable .;C l;11l5Cli";fO1'1TleCl by parts 1793;11Cl, l8 -is preferably mounted on the said shaft-,- and inspection of the foregoing will show that t'he -,par t i1;8 is freely mounted thereon and-- carries-a proj ection' or arm which in turn has; its" freeend connected to a rod; 'lhe ,said rodjeonnects to' the, joint. 24s of- FigJ-VII; Aspring 21tends to normally maintain the-part 18 in 'engage1nent with the; part 1'71: A cable 22. securedto'the armao. is adapted to disengage the parts 17 and 18,thesaid cable being operable from the driveris seat, 7

In orderto advise a: negligent driver when heijs carrying thedevice as, abumper only,

suitable means are provided such as a cable running from the drivers seat to the front of the' vehicl'e. Thisc'able worksa suit-able arrangement whichis-zcombined withthe light systemof the vehicle to show at night whether -the..deviceis arranged to worlr only as a I bumper or: as a: life preserver; During the day time light is substituted by a small flag-or. anyother suitable signal. Such arrangement-is not shown in the drawing, but

it is within the contemplation. of Y the invens ti'onthat such signal be visible both to the' operator 'ofthev'ehicle and to the pedestrian. The further provision is made of a metal cable'25irunnin'g from the drivers seat to en'- ahlethe cdriver to operat'elthe device; I 1 tis' readily understood that the'iinvention is susceptible to numerous adaptatiol'isand modifications, and it is intended that the scope thereof be limitedonly by the append edclaim's. v claim-'1 I 1 Aprotection device for veh iclescompris ing plurality of transver'se plates mounted in substantially the same plane, at least one plate arranged iIi a'lowerplane, and at least one additional plate arranged in a third lower plane, supports on which the: said plates are rigidly mounted toform" a solid body, arms projectingfrom the rear surface of the said" body and having? substantially .hal-fcone shaped free ends, supports-mounted on the chassis of the vehicle and having substantially ,ha1f coned not hes-- thereon corresponding to and adapted to engage with the free ends of the said projecting arms, springs for maintaining the device in its raised position, cables adapted for coopera-' tion with the first-mentioned supports to prevent the device from being overrun by the front wheels of the vehicle when the device is'lowered, the said first-mentioned supports being adapted to act as brake shoes when the device is in its loweredposition, guides secured to the device and chassisfor controlling the movement of the device, and a rack and ratchet cooperable with the said last-mentioned means whereby-the device guide to stop the vehicle motor when the de- -.'ice is lowered.

2. In a protection device according to cla m 1, means connected with the motor clutch for lowering the device when the clutch is disengaged, and for raismg' the device to serve as a bumper when the clutch is engaged.

3. In a protection device according to claim 1, means whereby the driver may opcrate the device for use only as a bumper.

l. In a protection device according to claim 1, means connected with clutch of the vehicle whereby upon release otthe clutch the device will be lowered, and upon emergency'the clutch of the device willibe raised to serve as a bumper, and means for disenprevent the device from being overrun'by the front wheels of the vehicles when the device is lowered, the said first-mentioned supports being adapted to act as brake shoes when the device is in its lowered position, guides secured to the device and chassis for controlling the movement of the device, and a rack and ratchet cooperable with the said guide to stop the vehicle motor when the device is lowered, the said device being operable in any combination with the wheels of the I vehicle.

In testimony whereof I have signed'my I name to this specification. I

' MIGUEL COPPOLA.

gaging at the will of the operator the said may be employed only as a bumper.

5, In a protection device according to claim 1, means for determining at a glance whether the device is adapted for work as a life preserver and emergency brake or only asa bumper. I g

6. In a protection device according to claim 1, means connected to the motor clutch prising a plurality of transverse plates 7 mounted in substantially the same plane, at least one plate arranged in a lower plane, and at least one additional plate arranged in athird lower plane, supports on'which the said plates are rigidly mounted to form a solid body, arms projecting from the rear surface of the said body and having substantially half-cone shaped free ends, supports mounted on the chassis of the vehicle and having substantially half-coned notches thereon corresponding to and adapted to engage with the free ends of the said projecting arms, springs for maintaining the device in its ralsed position, cables adapted forcooporation with the first-mentioned supports to 

